Lionel Messi Picks, Predictions & Odds: Inter Miami vs. Charlotte FC

Lionel Messi is thriving with his dazzling displays for Inter Miami as we make our Lionel Messi picks for Friday's Inter Miami vs. Charlotte FC matchup.

Lionel Messi scored a stunning double on Sunday, including a late free-kick to tie the game against FC Dallas in regulation. Their penalty shootout win sends them to the quarterfinals and a matchup with MLS strugglers, Charlotte.

Until Messi’s fabulous equalizer, he hadn’t scored multiple goals in three straight matches for club or country since 2015. Inter Miami were winless in 11 games before he arrived. Since his debut, they’ve won four in a row. Messi has scored seven goals, he’s the joint-leading scorer in the Leagues Cup so far, he’s also had the most goals from outside the box (3), and the most shots on target (11).

Next up for the Argentinean is Charlotte FC. They have the worst defense in MLS and managed one clean sheet in the Leagues Cup.

Here is our best Lionel Messi pick for Friday's Leagues Cup matchup between Inter Miami and Charlotte FC (odds via our best sports betting apps; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).

Lionel Messi pick: Inter Miami vs. Charlotte FC

Lionel Messi to score two or more goals (+230 via BetMGM) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

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Messi is simply unstoppable in America right now. His goal-scoring form is the best it’s been for years, and on Friday he’s facing a side that’s struggled to shut out their opponents.

Charlotte FC have conceded 40 goals in 23 MLS games this season. Their goal differential is minus-10. No team has given up more goals in MLS than them. Their overall xGA is 1.47. On Friday they’re on the road. Their xGA away from home, in MLS, is 1.65.

The Crown have kept just one clean sheet on the road this MLS season. They’ve had one clean sheet in the Leagues Cup, which was on the road to Cruz Azul in the Round of 32. Charlotte won the tie on penalties. Nearly a quarter of the goals scored against Charlotte in MLS have come between the 51st and 60th minutes.

Since his first start with Inter Miami, Messi has scored the opening goal inside the first 10 minutes on all three occasions. It feels like he’s going to score each time he puts on the Miami jersey. This defense is there for the taking, so too is this play for the maestro to score two-plus goals.

Lionel Messi best odds

BetMGM +230

Can Messi really score multiple goals for the fourth game running? The greatest player in the world is in unstoppable scoring form and he’s coming up against the most generous defense in MLS. He’s -240 as an anytime scorer, so there isn’t much value in that play. We can’t argue with the numbers. Of all the teams Messi has faced, this is the team to make this play against.

Messi has scored first in all three of his last starts. If you want to back him to continue that form, bet365 has him at +210. The odds are higher for that than our multiple goals play because there are so many variables working against us. He can score whenever for us, just so long as he does it at least twice. Charlotte is a team conceding an average of 1.74 goals per game in MLS.

At the time of writing, DraftKings didn’t have any goal scorer odds. BetMGM has great value compared to our other main books. At the start of Thursday, FanDuel had the play priced at +190 but this dropped to +180. Take the +230 while it’s available. Charlotte’s poor defense and Messi’s fantastic form make this a four-star play.

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Inter Miami vs. Charlotte FC game info

• Date: Friday, Aug. 11, 8:30 p.m. ET
• TV: Apple TV – MLS Season Pass
• Location: DRV PNK Stadium, Fort Lauderdale, FL
• Weather: 84 degrees, 0% chance of precipitation, 7 mph winds

Lionel Messi pick made 08/10/2023 at 1 p.m. ET.

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